Ebola cases remain at nine as Kenya clears 66 contacts from quarantine

Kenya has discharged its first five patients who tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, while 46 more people who had been in contact with infected individuals have completed monitoring and returned home.

The Ministry of Health said on Tuesday, November 3, that the five men had received treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and The Nairobi Hospital, with laboratory tests confirming they had cleared the virus.

Two patients were discharged from KNH and three from The Nairobi Hospital after completing treatment and remaining free of symptoms.

The development brings the number of people released from quarantine to 66, following the discharge of the first 20 contacts on October 25, according to the Ministry.

A further 52 contacts remain under monitoring and are expected to complete their 21-day observation period by November 11, provided they remain symptom-free.

The Ministry said all patients and contacts are released only after meeting established public health criteria and will receive psychosocial support. It urged families, employers and communities to welcome them without discrimination or stigma.

Kenya announced its first confirmed case of Bundibugyo Ebola on October 6, 2026, involving a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The patient had fallen ill in the DRC, travelled by road through Uganda and arrived in Nairobi on October 3 aboard Jambojet flight JM 8523 from Entebbe. He was isolated at a Nairobi hospital but died on the night of October 5, before the Ministry publicly confirmed the case.

Eight additional infections were subsequently reported between October 14 and October 20, bringing the country's total to nine confirmed cases. The World Health Organization said the secondary infections involved four family members and four health and care workers linked to the initial patient.

Two of the nine patients have died, translating to a case fatality rate of 22.2 per cent. The Ministry said no new infection had been recorded since October 19, with all confirmed cases belonging to one cluster and no evidence of community transmission.

Contact tracing initially identified 118 people for monitoring, according to the Ministry's updates on the groups being released. Twenty completed the required 21-day period and returned home in October, followed by the 46 discharged on Tuesday, leaving 52 still under observation.

The Ministry said the remaining two patients, one at KNH and the other at The Nairobi Hospital, were still receiving treatment. They will be discharged after meeting the required medical criteria.

The Ministry said the latest recoveries were encouraging but warned that the outbreak would not be declared over immediately.

Kenya will begin a 42-day countdown after the final patient has either recovered or died. The outbreak will be declared over only if no new case is detected during that period.

The government said heightened surveillance would continue, including monitoring for anyone showing symptoms associated with Ebola.

The Ministry also addressed travel measures recently announced by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, saying Kenya had shared its outbreak data through International Health Regulations channels and requested the scientific and public health justification for the restrictions.

It maintained that Kenya remained open for business, with no domestic restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings.

The Ministry urged anyone experiencing symptoms suggestive of Ebola to seek medical attention immediately, saying early treatment is critical to improving survival and preventing further transmission.

Members of the public can report suspected cases through the toll-free number *719* or the Ministry's WhatsApp chatbot on *0700 719 719*.